Metal bound box or basket



Dec. 25, 1956 N. KASDAN METAL BOUND BOX OR BASKET Filed March 50, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. -/V47HAN (4504M HERA/75 Dec. 25, 1956 N. KASDAN METAL BOUND BOX OR BASKET 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March .30, 1953 INVENTOR. m THAN map/w Mme/vans mTAL BOUND BOX R BASKET Nathan Kasdan, Plainfield, Conn.

Application March 30, 1953, Serial No. 345,603

9 Claims. c1. 220-4 This invention relates to boxes which are bound in metal for ease of structural assembly and to provide an ornamental appearance.

There is a current vogue for vanity boxes which are hand-carried by women, andthe present invention is shown applied to such boxes. However, features of the invention are applicable to boxes used for other purposes as, for example, a jewel box. The box construction is also useable as an open basket by omitting the cover.

The primary object of the present invention is to generally improve boxes of the specified character. A more particular object is to provide a box construction which is easy to assemble and therefore inexpensive to manufacture, and yet which presents a rich-looking appearance. A further object is to provide a box construction which is readily adapted to manufacture of boxes of different sizes and of different appearance, and which is useable with widely different materials for the walls while retaining essentially the same construction for the metal frame or combining parts of the box.

To accomplish the foregoing general objects, and other more specific objects which will hereinafter appear, the invention resides in the box elements, and their relation one to another, as are hereinafter more particularly described in the following specification. The specification is accompanied by drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a vanitybox embodying features of the invention; I

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken' approximately in the plane of the'line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section taken approximately in the plane of the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan View at the righthand corner of the box shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detail of the lower end of an assembly rod used inthe invention;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section through a corner of the box taken approximately at the line 6-6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section similar to Fig. 2, but showing a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary elevation of one corner of the modified box shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary elevation similar to Fig. 8, but showing still another modification;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary section similar to the lower end of Fig. 6, but showing a modification in which ornamental nuts are used as feet for the box; I

Fig. 11 is an elevation of the parts shown in Fig. l0;'

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary horizontal section similar to Figs. 2. and 7, but showing still another modification;

Fig. 13 is a rear view of a jewel box embodying features of the invention;

Fig. 14 is a plan view of the same;

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary vertical section taken approximately in the plane of the line 15-45 of Fig. 14;

Fig. 16 is a perspective view explanatory of still another modification;

17 is a similarview showing the partsassembled;

'nited States Patent 0 F Fig. 18 is a rear view of a box of the type shown in ig. 1; v

Fig. 19 is a fragmentary section taken approximately in the plane of the line 1919 of Fig.18; and

Fig. 20 is a fragmentary section taken approximately in the plane of the line 20-40 of Fig. 18.

Referring to the drawing, and more particularlyto Figs. 1 and 18, 1 there show a ladys vanity box comprising a body B, a hinged cover C, and handles H. The handles are pivoted at their lower ends and may be turned'to the upward position shown in Fig. 18 when the box is being carried. They may be turned down out of the way to the broken line position shown in Fig. 18 when the box is opened. The body B of the box cempn'ses corner pieces, top channels, bottom channels, and side walls which are next described in greater detail.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the corner piece 12 comprises two main sides 14 and 16 and two locking edges 18 and 2t) bent inward therefrom. The side walls 22 and 24 have adjacent edges disposed at the corner piece 12. These side walls include outwardly offset parts 26 and 28 which are received within and anchored by the inwardly bent lock edges 18 and 20. There is also an assembly rod 34 which passes collaterally through the corner piece 12 and within the olfset parts 26 and 28 to hold the parts in assembled relation.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4 of thedrawing, the top channels 32 and 34 receive the upper edges of the side walls 22 and 24. The ends of the channels are flat, as indicated at 36 in Fig. 4. These flat portions are preferably square in outline and of a dimension corresponding to. the corner piece 12 shown in Fig. 2. The flat ends overlap as indicated at36 and 38 in Fig. 3, one of these two ends, in this case the end 33, being downwardly offset or depressed slightly to provide aflush or level top edge.

Referring now to Fig. 2 0 of the drawing, the bottom channel 40 is L shaped in section, and it receives not only the side wall/t2 but also the bottom wall 44, the latter being rectangular and framed as well as supported hythe bottom channels 49. Referring now to Fig. 6, it will be seen how the upright or side wall 46 of the L shaped channel is cut away to terminate just short of the corner piece as shown at 48, while the bottom wall is continued and acts as a flat end for the channel. Two such flat ends are overlapped, as indicated at 50 and 52, and are apertured in registration to receive the assembly rod 30.

The assembly rod 30 has a length corresponding approximately to the height of the box. The upper end is preferably provided with a thin flat head 54 which is substantially flush with the top edge of the box. The lower end of the rod may be either riveted, or threaded to receive a nut. If it is to be riveted it is preferably preliminarily counterbored, as shown at 56 in Fig. 5, and after assembly of the parts of the box the lower end is spread or riveted outwardly much as is done with tubular eyelets, and as is clearly shown at 58 in Fig. 6

An alternative construction is shown in Figs. 10 and 11 in which it will be seen that the assembly rod 30 is threaded at its lower end 60 and receives a nut 62. In this construction the box may be dis-assembled or assembled. In most cases it is preferred to use an ornamental nut, which, in the present case, is faceted at the top and rounded at the bottom, because such a nut may be used at the four corners of the box to act as feet to hold the box slightly elevated. In any case the thread on the rod is preferably made slightly shorter than the height of the nut so that the lower end of the rod will not project through the nut. It will also be understood that if nuts are employed as feet, and if it be desired to avoid accidental loosening of the nuts, the threaded lower ends of the rods may be staked or spread slightly with a punch to lock the nutsinposition. a

As so far described it has" been assumed that the side walls 22 and 24 are made of relatively thin sheet metal so that the edge portions may be bent to offset the same outwardly as shown at 26 and 28 in Fig. 2 of the drawing. However, other materials may be used, including a somewhat thicker and frangible material such as sheet plastic. This is illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 in which it will be seen that plastic walls 64, 66 may be held in position with the assistance of metal flanges 68 and 70. In the form here shown the flange 68 is made integral with the flange 70, both being formed by suitably bending a single piece of sheet metal. The sheet metal is bent to provide the outwardly offset part 72 which is received within the looking edge 18 of the corner piece 12. The assembly rod 30- comes within the offset parts, much as previously described, and as shown in Fig. 2. From comparison of Figs. 2 and 7, and disregarding the fact that in Fig. 7 the complete side wall is made up of both plastic and metal, it will be seen that in both cases there is a side wall having an edge part disposed at the corner piece, and the said edge part being oiiset outwardly to be received within the locking edge of the corner piece and to make room for the assembly rod.

The exterior appearance is somewhat modified, as shown in Fig. 8, because in addition to the metal corner piece 12 there is a metal flange 70 in contrast with the plastic wall 66. Also the side wall of the inverted U section channel 34 is cut away or terminates at the point 74, thus permit-ting the channel 34 and the flange '70 to come into flush relation.

Other materials may be used for the side walls. Thus reticulated or expanded metal may be used either for light weight, ventilation, or enhanced appearance. A fragmentary view of such construction is shown in Fig. 9, in which it will be understood that the corner piece 12 corresponds to that previously described; the channel 32 corresponds to that previously described; while the side wall 76 replaces the wall 24 shown in Fig. 2 but is of highly perforate or expanded nature. This expanded metal is a known material, andmay be handled much like fiat sheet metal. The edges at the corner piecemay be offset outwardly just as was described in connection with Fig. 2.

When dealing with frangible or plastic side Wallsrequiring metal flanges as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the construction may be modified to form the flanges integrally with the corner piece, and such a modification is shown in Fig. 12 of the drawing. In Fig. 12 the plastic side wall 80 is received between inner and outer flanges 82 and 84,

while the plastic side wall 86 is received between inner and outer flanges 88 and 90. The outer flanges 84 and 96 are for-med integrally with one another and with the corner piece 92. The inner flanges 82 and 88 are formed integrally with one another and with the outwardly olflset parts 9'4 and 96. The assembly rod 30 is received within the offset parts 94 and 96, much as previously described. In this arrangement the corner piece 92 still has locking edges bent inward, and these locking edges serve to receive the outwardly offset parts of the inner flanges 82 and 88 which may be considered to be a part of the side walls 80 and 86.

The description so far has been confined to the body of the box which, in the absence of a cover, may be considered also to be an open basket. When a cover is employed it may be a fiat cover, as shown in Figs. 1 and 18, or it may be a cover with side walls, as shown in Figs. 13 and 15 Considering the flat cover first, this consists of .a sheet of material 1100 (Figs. 1 and 6), the edges of which are received within and framed by a peripheral channel 102. The channel may be U-shaped and correspond to that shown at 32 and 34 in Figs. 3 and 4 for finishing the top edge of the body B of the box. The sheet material 100 may correspond to the side walls, and those may be sheet metal, expanded metal, plastic, or other suitable material. However, it does not have to corre- 4 spond to the side wall, and instead different or contrasting materials may be used if desired.

The cover may be hinged to the body of the box in any desired fashion as, for example, by means of hinges 104 shown in Figs. 18 and 19 of the drawing. The lower part of the hinges may be riveted to the top channel 106 as shown at 108, while the upper part of the hinges may be riveted to the channel or frame part 102 of the cover as shown at 110. The cover may be latched to hold it closed by suitable means. Referring to Fig. 1, in this case the latch comprises a tongue 112 pivoted at its upper end on the cover C and apertured to receive a detent 114 with a snap fit, the detent being secured to the body of the box.

In Figs. 13, 14 and 15 I show a box which has no handles, and is more in the nature of a jewel box or other ornamental box. In this case the cover has side walls, the hinges 122 being located well down from the top of the box with a plane of separation at 124. In such case the cover, as well as the body of the box, comprises corner pieces and side walls and top and bottom channels. The corner pieces 126 of the cover are in vertical alignment with the corner pieces 128 of the body. The channels 131] at the bottom of the box are L-shaped in section, as previously described, while the channels 132 at the top of the body are U-shaped, as shown in Fig. 15. The cover 120 is closed at the top instead of at the bottom, and the channel arrangement is therefore reversed. Thus the top channels 134 are L-shaped in section, while the bottom channels 136 are U-shaped in section, as is best shown in Fig. 15. It will be understood that in all cases the channels have flat ends which are approximately square in outline to correspond to the corner pieces, and which overlap with apertures in registration to receive the assembly rods. It will also be understood that in most cases, at least where the parts are exposed to view, one of the flat ends is offset slightly to receive the other in flush relation. The four corners of the cover receive four assembly rods which correspond to those used in the four corners of the body, and these hold the parts of the cover in assembled relation.

The fiat bottom wall will rest in place gravitationally because it rests on the bottom channels. The insertion and cementing in position of the usual silk lining material, together with the fact that the side walls may be made to overlie the bottom wall at some parts of the perimeter of the bottom wall, additionally serve to hold the bottom wall in position. Nevertheless, a few small rivets, shown at 45 in Fig. 20, may be used to additionally secure the bottom wall to the horizontal parts of the bottom channels. These fastening means will not be visible, the upper ends being concealed by the lining.

In the case of the top wall it is desired to positively secure the same in position. For this purpose it may be riveted in position by the use of a considerable number of tiny and relatively inconspicuous rivets, shown at 142 in Figs. 14 and 15. If desired the rivets may be eliminated, and the side walls may be relied on to support the top wall in elevated position. For this purpose the walls are preferably matingly notched along their edges with appropriate tongues and recesses, as is best shown in Figs. 16 and 17. The tongues are received in the recesses, thereby interlocking the parts. This arrangement is preferred when dealing with plastic walls, but may also be used with metal walls.

In Figs. 16 and 17 it will be seen that the corner 144 is beveled. This is done to provide clearance for the assembly rod, and it will be understood that the corners gt thge bottom are similarly beveled as will be seen in Reverting to Fig. 13, the cover and body of the box are hinged together by hinges 122 and, these are simply .riveted through the U-shaped channels 132 and 136. The

opposite or front side of the box may be provided with any appropriate form of clasp, latch, or lock, the mating upper and lower parts of which may be similarly riveted to the U-shaped channels at the front of the box.

It is believed that the COl'tstfUCtiOfl and method of assembly, as well as the advantages, of the. present improved box will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description thereof; The manufacture of the box is simplified because boxes of different dimension and made of different materials may be assembled out of relatively standard parts. For example, the corner pieces are cut to appropriate length from long lengths of material having the desired section. The U-shaped channels may be cut to desired length and their ends shaped, flattened and pierced in a single relatively simple die, the reason for this being that one end is formed at a time, and it is necessary merely to change the length of the material as cut from long pieces of material having the U-shaped section. Similar remarks apply to the channels of L section. The side walls and the top and bottom walls are cut to dimension from sheet stock. The parts are asserrrbled by using the assembly rods, and varied appearance is obtained by using different materials for the walls while using the same metal pieces for the corners and channels.

It will be understood that while the invention has been shown and described in several preferred forms, changes may be made in the structures shown without departing from the scope of the invention as sought to be defined in the following claims.

I claim:

- 1:. An ornamental box comprising corners made up of elongated longitudinally slidably related outer and inner members, the outer member having elongated perpendicularly related side walls integrally joined together along one of their longitudinal edges each of said side Walls having a portion projecting inwardly, to form retainer rails extending longitudinally of the said walls and intermediate the corner formed by said side walls and the free edges of said side walls, the parts outside said rails acting as outer flanges, the inner member having elongated perpendicularly related corner walls integrally joined together along one of their longitudinal edges and fitting within the outer member between its corner and the retamer rails, said inner member having inturned parts within the rails, and inner flanges extending from said inturned par-ts parallel to but offset inwardly from the outer flanges.

2. An ornamental box comprising corners made up of elongated longitudinally slidably related outer and nner members, the outer member having elongated perpendicularly related side walls integrally joined together along one of their longitudinal edges, each of said sidewalls having a portion projecting inwardly to form retainer rails extending longitudinally of the said walls and intermediate the corner formed by said side walls and the free edges of said side walls, the parts outside said rails acting as outer flanges, the inner member having elongated perpendicularly related corner walls integrally oined together along one of their longitudinal edges and fitting within the outer member between its corner and the retainer rails, said inner member having inturned parts within the rails, and inner flanges extending from said inturned parts parallel to but offset inwardly from the outer flanges, panels acting as side walls of the box, the generally upright edges of said panels being received between the aforesaid inner and outer flanges at the corners.

3. An ornamental box comprising corners made up of elongated longitudinally slidably related outer and inner members, the outer member having elongated perpendicularly related side walls integrally joined together along one of their longitudinal edges, each of said side walls having a portion projecting inwardly to form retainer rails extending longitudinally of the said walls and intermediate the corner formed by said side walls and the free edges of said side walls, the parts outside said rails acting as; outer flanges, the inner member having elongated perpendicularly related corner Walls integrally joined together along one of their longitudinal edges and fitting within the outer member between its corner and the retainer rails, said inner member having inturned parts within the rails, and inner flanges extending from said inturned parts parallel to but oflset inwardly from the outer flanges, panels acting as side walls of the box, the generally upright edges of said panels being received between the aforesaid inner and outer flanges at the corners, generally horizontal top and bottom parts receiving the top and bottom edges of the panels, the top part being a channel having an inverted U-shaped cross-section receiving. the top edge of a panel, and the: bottom part having an L-shaped cross-section receiving the bottom edge of said panel, assembly rods passing through said top and bottom parts at the corners of the box in order to hold all of the parts in assembled relation, said assembly rods. passing collaterally through said corner pieces within the corner Walls and the inturned parts of the inner members.

4. An ornamental box comprising corners made up of outer and inner elongated metal members each made of sheet metal, the outer member having elongated angularly related side walls integrally joined together along one of their longitudinal edges, each of saidwalls being reversely' folded inwardly to form retainer rails extending longitudinally of the said walls and intermediate the corner formed by said side walls and the free edges of said side walls, the parts outside said rails acting as outer flnages, the inner member having elongated angularly related corner walls integrally joined together along one of their longitudinal edges and fitting within the outer member between its corner and the retainer rails, said inner member having inbent parts Within the rails and inner flanges extending from said inbent parts parallel to but offset inwardly from the outer flanges.

5. An ornamental box comprising corners made up of outer and inner elongatedmetal members each made of sheet metal, the outer member having elongated angularly related side walls integrally joined together along one of their longitudinal edges, each of said walls being reversely folded inwardly to form retainer rails extending longitudinally of the said walls and intermediate the corner formed by said side walls and the free edges of said side walls, the parts outside said rails acting as outer flanges, the inner member having elongated angularly related corner walls integrally joined together along one of their longitudinal edges and fitting within the outer member between its corner and the retainer rails, said inner member having inbent parts within the rails and inner flanges extending from said inbent parts parallel to but offset inwardly from the outer flanges, panels acting as side walls of the box, the generally upright edges of said panels being received between the aforesaid inner and outer flanges at the corners.

6. An ornamental box comprising corners made up of outer and inner elongated metal members each made of sheet metal, the outer member having elongated angularly related side walls integrally joined together along one of their longitudinal edges, each of said walls being re versely folded inwardly to form retainer rails extending longitudinally of the said walls and intermediate the corner formed by said side Walls and the free edges of said side Walls, the parts outside said rails acting as outer flanges, the inner member having elongated angularly related corner walls integrally joined together along one of their longitudinal edges and fitting within the outer member between its corner and the retainer rails, said inner member having inbent parts within the rails and inner flanges extending from said inbent parts parallel to but offset inwardly from the outer flanges, panels acting as side walls of the box, the generally upright edges of said panels being received between the aforesaid inner and outer flanges at the corners, top and bottom parts made of sheet metal and framing the top and bottom edges of the panels, the top part being a channel having an inverted U-shaped cross-section receiving the top edge of a panel, and the bottom part having a horizontal area and an upright flange thereabove receiving the bottom edge of said panel, assembly rods passing through said top and bottom parts at the corners of the box to hold allof the parts in assembled relation, said assembly rods passing collaterally through said corner pieces within the corner walls and the inbent parts of the inner members.

7. An ornamental box comprising corners made up of elongated longitudinally slidably related outer and inner metal members each made of a single piece of sheet metal, the outer member having elongated perpendicularly related sidewalls joined together along one of their longitudinal edges, each of said side walls being reversely folded inwardly to form retainer rails extending longitudinally of the said walls and intermediate the corner formed by said side walls and the free edges of said side walls, the parts outside said rails acting as outer flanges, the inner member having elongated perpendicularly related corner walls joined together along one of their longitudinal edges and fitting within the outer member between its corner and the retainer rails, said inner member having inbent parts within the rails and inner flanges extending from said inbent parts parallel to but ofiset inwardly from the outer flanges.

8. An ornamental box comprising corners made up of elongated longitudinally slidably related outer and inner metal members each made of a single piece of sheet metal, the outer member having elongated perpendicularly related side walls joined together along one of their longitudinal edges, each of said side walls being reversely folded inwardly to form retainer rails extending longitudinally of the said walls and intermediate the corner formed by said side walls and the free edges of said side walls, the parts outside said rails acting as outer flanges, the inner member having elongated perpendicularly related corner walls joined together along one of their longitudinal edges and fitting within the outer member between its corner and the retainer rails, said inner member having inbent parts within the rails and inner flanges extending from said inbent parts parallel to but offset inwardly from the outer flanges, panels acting as side walls of the box which are made of a relatively frangible material, the generally upright edges of said panels being received between the aforesaid inner and outer flanges at the corners.

9. An ornamental box comprising corners made up of elongated longitudinally slidably related outer and inner metal members each made of a single piece of sheet metal, the outer member having elongated perpendicularly related side walls joined together along one of their longitudinal edges, each of said side Walls being reversely folded inwardly to form retainer rails extending longitudinally of the said walls and intermediate the corner formed by said side walls and the free edges of said side walls, the parts outside said rails acting as outer flanges, the inner member having elongated perpendicularly related corner walls joined together along one of their longitudinal edges and fitting within the outer member between its corner and the retainer rails, said inner member having inbent parts within the rails and inner flanges extending from said inbent parts parallel to but offset inwardly from the outer flanges, panels acting as side walls of the box which are made of a relatively frangible material, the generally upright edges of said panels being received between the aforesaid inner and outer flanges at the corners, generally horizontal top and bottom parts made of sheet metal and framing the top and bottom edges of the panels, the top part being a channel having an inverted U-shaped cross-section receiving the top edge of a panel, and the bottom part having a horizontal area and an upright flange thereabove receiving the bottom edge of said panel, assembly rods passing through said top and bottom parts at the corners of the box in order to hold all of the parts in assembled relation, said assembly rods passing collaterally through said corner pieces within the corner walls and the inbent parts of the inner members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 534,788 Erkenswick Feb. 26, 1895 800,948 Skahen Oct. 3, 1905 1,016,259 Frey Feb. 6, 1912 1,156,443 Stevens Oct. 12, 1915 1,159,229 Keith Nov. 2, 1915 1,163,696 Silberman Dec. 14, 1915 1,293,549 Reid Feb. 4, 1919 1,627,282 Gran May 3, 1927 1,673,324 Gardner June 12, 1928 1,691,158 Lion Nov. 13, 1928 1,691,617 Tyler Nov. 13, 1928 1,706,028 Johnson Mar. 19, 1929 1,932,773 Eschenbach Oct. 31, 1933 1,959,800 Rogge May 22, 1934 2,643,018 Maurer June 23, 1953 

